How these sounds differ
ɡ
Voiced Velar Stop
- Voicing
- voiced
- Place
- velar
- Manner
- stop
- Class
- consonant
- In languages
- 301 / 500
k
Voiceless Velar Stop
- Voicing
- voiceless
- Place
- velar
- Manner
- stop
- Class
- consonant
- In languages
- 444 / 500
Cross-linguistic distribution
301
Languages with ɡ
267
Languages with both
444
Languages with k
267 languages in our database contrast both sounds as distinct phonemes. Languages that have one but not the other tend to merge them into a single phoneme — meaning speakers of those languages often struggle to hear the distinction when learning a language that contrasts them.
Has ɡ, not k (20)
IRISH
Indo-European
Angas
Afro-Asiatic
Avar
Nakh-Daghestanian
CHEROKEE
Iroquoian
ACOMA
Keresan
Persian
Indo-European
EYAK
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
Tunica
Language isolate
Garo
Sino-Tibetan
Adzera
Austronesian
Lak
Nakh-Daghestanian
Darkhat
Mongolic-Khitan
Wapishana
Arawakan
ARCHI
Nakh-Daghestanian
Aghem
Atlantic-Congo
AHTNA
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
KEWA
Nuclear Trans New Guinea
ALAMBLAK
Sepik
KOHUMONO
Atlantic-Congo
KLAMATH
Language isolate
Has k, not ɡ (20)
Gadsup
Nuclear Trans New Guinea
Asmat
Nuclear Trans New Guinea
Washkuk
Sepik
Wik Mungkan
Pama-Nyungan
Sentani
Sentanic
Alawa
Mangarrayi-Maran
Wubuy
Gunwinyguan
Maung
Iwaidjan Proper
Maranungku
Western Daly
Kunjen
Pama-Nyungan
Nyangumata
Pama-Nyungan
Western Desert
Pama-Nyungan
Kaliai
Austronesian
Atayal
Austronesian
Cham
Austronesian
Lakkia
Tai-Kadai
Karen
Sino-Tibetan
Hakka Chinese
Sino-Tibetan
SEDANG
Austroasiatic
Auyana
Nuclear Trans New Guinea